Governor.



No. emma. l Patented Aug. s, Ism.

E. P. CULEMAN. l

GVEBNOR.

(Applicntnxg Med En'. 6, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

'A from/E rs,

` Patented Aug. 6, I90I. E. P. COLEMAN.

No. sama.

GOVERNOR.

(Application filed Mar. 6, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No mgm.)

W/TNESSES:

A TTOHNEKS.

o-Ll'mo., wAsmncmu. D. c.

Patented Aug. 6, I9Cll`.v E. P. COLEMAN. I

GOVERNUB.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR P. COLEMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GOVERNOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 680,198, dated August G, 1901.

Application tiled March 6,1900. Serial No. 7,488. (No modelb To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR P. COLEMAN, of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Governors, of which the following is a specification.

My inve-ntion relates to governors for steamengines, and particularly to rot-ary governors of the ball or centrifugal type.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction of governors to the end that the same may operatewith greater force to quickly and certainly control and actuate the valve mechanisms of the engines and overcome the frictional resistance thereof.

A particular object of my invention is to reduce the frictional resistance to the centrifugal operation of the parts of the governor that is in the governor itself,and another object of my invention is to improve the arrangement or position of the governor- Weights, whereby a differential operation thereof is obtained with a view to rendering the governor more nearly astatic over an increased range and make it more powerful,

and another object of my invention is to sup` plement the operation of the governor-balls by the inertia of any added part.

My invention consists generally in the combination, with the governor-spindle, of ballarms obliquely pivoted thereon, said arms being also arranged obliquely with relation to their pivotal axes upon said stem and being connected with a suitable movable part or slider.

My invention further consists in the combination of a governor of the construction above described with opposing ballarms, whereby the rise and fall of the ball-arms for slight variations of load is assured, while the inertia effect of the governor is also enhanced to powerfully and quickly alter the height of the governor and the position of the Valves dependent thereon when there is a variation of the engine load, and my invention further consists-in the combination of a governor of the inertia type with a loaded slider therefor which revolves with the slider and by its inertia assists or supplements the operation of the governor, whether of the simple or difici-ential type, and my invention lfurther consists in details of construction and in combination of parts, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims. Y

The invention Will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure lis an elevation of a governor of simple form embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan View of the governor. Fig. 4 illustrates the differential form of my governor. Fig. is a section on the line 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a partial section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the differential governor. Fig. 8 is an elevation of a pivot-head belonging to one of the differential ball-arms. Fig. 9 illustrates a modied form of the governor. Fig. 10 is a sectional view on the line 10 of Fig.- 9. Fig. 1l is a side view of the governor, the slider being shown in section on the line 11 of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a plan view taken from Fig. 9, and Fig. 13 is a detail of and illustrates a further modiication of my invention in which the axe's of the ball-arms are capable of retardation or advancement with relation to the governorL spindle by the force of inertia.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, A represents a vertical or main spindle provided with a head A', bearing inclined or oblique studs or axes a a' and b b; B C, ball-arms provided with oblique yokes B C', pivotally joined to said inclined axes; B2 C2, governor-balls carried by the arms B "and C, respectively; B3 C3, slider-actuating arms or links provided with yoked ends c c; D, a slider or movable collar rotatably and slidably mounted upon the main spindle; D', a collar rotatably mounted on the slider D between collars or shoulders d d thereon, and D2 a bell-crank pivoted at f and provided with a yoked end f having pivotal connection f2 with the collar D. The yokes c of the links B3 C3 have pivotal connection g with collar g', rotatable on the arms B and C and conned against longitudinal movement on said arms by the governor-balls and collars g2,"'secured by set-screws g3. The yokes c' have pivotal connection 7L with the upper portion of the slider D. The spindle A is rotated by a suitable connection with the engine (none being IOO shown) however, and the sliderD is connected in any suitable manner With the valve mechanism of the engine. The direction of rotation of said spindle when the axes a a' and b b' are inclined, as shown, is in the direction indicated by the arrow. It will be noted that the direction of rotation is such that when the governor-balls lag behind under their inertia, during an increment of velocity of the spindle A, the arms B and C are caused to rise, while when said balls through their in ertia move ahead of the spindle A, during a decrement of velocity in said spindle, the arms B and C are lowered. It thus appears that the inertia acts with an increase in centrifugal force during an increment of velocity to raise the balls and with a decrease in the centrifugal force during a decrement of velocity to lower said balls.

Figs. 4 to S, inclusive, show practically the same construction as Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, but with a slight modification to provide for differential weights. The head A' of the main spindle is shown cylindrical in form.

It is, however, provided with the inclinedv ball-arm axes a, a and b b', as shown. The upper ends or heads of the arms B and C instead of being of yoke form, as shown in Fig. 1, have the form of short cylinders k, provided with the wings or lugs la for pivotal attachment to the inclined axes and further provided with hollow lugs or bosses k2 for receiving the arms B and C and additional short arms E and F. The short ball-arms are provided with balls E' and F', adjustably fixed on thc arms by set-screws E. It will be observed that in this construction the inertia of the ball on a short arm acts with the inertia of a ball on a long arm to move the slider, while the centrifugal forces of the balls are opposed. When the centrifugal force tends to lower the ball on the short arm, it tends to raise the ball on the long arm, and vice versa. The balls on the short arms are preferably adjustable. By employing the dierentiated weights I secure a more advantageous relation between the speed and the height of the governor. This is possible only in association with the inertia feature.

In the construction shown in Figs. 9 to 12, inclusive, the ball-arms B and O are provided in their ends with sleeves or perforated heads m m', and the main spindle-head A', which supports the inclined axes d ot and b b', is changed in form to a cross-bar perforated to receive the main spindle and fixedly secured thereto by a set-screw n, the ends of said cross-bar being turned downward at an angle of inclination and provided with pivotal studs n', and the main spindle is projected upwardly above the head A and supplied with fixed collars (n2 n3, between which is confined a rotatable collar n4, having pivotal connection a5 with the yoked upper ends ne of supplemental or strengthening links G and H, the lower ends of which have pivotal connection with the sleeves m' of the ball-arms proper,

scones B and C. In this construction the balls B2 C2 are shown firmly xed to the lower ends of the arms Gr and H and the sleeves M are confined between said balls and collars p on the arms Gr and H. The upper ends of the arms B8 C3 have pivotal connection p with the balls B2 C2. It will be observed that in this construction when the balls rise the arms B and C rotate about the inclined axes on the head A', and consequently the balls have in addition to their movement from their given horizontal plane to a higher or lower plane an angular movement relative to the main spindle. To permit this movement, the sleeve n4 rotates on the upper end of a prolongation of the main spindle, while the sleeve D slides upon and also revolves upon the lower portion of the spindle. The true or main ball-arms are the arms B and C, having inclined axes onv the head A'. The arms G and H may properly be termed supplemental strengthening-arms or false ballarms, as it is clear that they and the upper prolongation of the spindle might be cut away above the collar p and the head A' and the device still remain operative.

In Fig. 13 the main spindle, as shown, is provided with collars q, while the head A is practically of the same form as that shown in Fig. 11, but supplied with inertia balls I, pivotally confined on the main spindle bea tween said collars. It is clear that by leaving the head A free to be moved by inertia and fixing the collar h4 (shown in Fig. 10) so that it is no longer capable of rotating on the main spindle both an inertia eect and a cenfrifugal-force eect can be secured. In such a construction the balls B2 C2 would act as ordinary centrifugal governor-balls, While the balls I would act as inertia balls. This is deemed a much less desirable construction than the constructions heretofore described, but is shown as a possible modification.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4.-, T represents an inertiaload upon the slider of the governor, revoluble with the slider and adding materially to the inertia effect thereof. The

invention is not limited to any particular embodiment of the principle of inclined axes for ball-arms. Preferably, but not necessarily, such inclined axes intersect the axes of 1 the main spindle.

In almost all centrifugal or ball governors the speed bears a certain known or calculable relation to the height of the governor when it is running steadily or in equilibrium; but in all mechanism, not excepting governors and valve-controlling mechanisms, there is frictional resistance to motion in the mechanism, which always opposes the force by which said mechanism is to be putin motion. This frictional resistance may and usually does exert a very considerable and undesirable effect on the operation of the governor, impairing its regulation, causing the engine to race, &c. If we define the power of a governor as the force tending to move the IIO sones slider, due to a given increase in velocity, (or velocity and acceleration combined,) then a given frictional resistance will exert less disturbing action on a highly-powerful governor than on one which is less powerful. In common governors it is therefore usual to increase the power (as well as to decrease the speed variation) by making the governor of larger dimensions, loading it, &c. This always increases the frictional resistance of its parts in a proportion slightly if any less than its increase of power, so that the gain from this is slight.

My conception of a governor is of one that is so constructed that the inertia of its parts maybe depended upon to overcome and counterbalance all of the natural resistances or Yfrictions that are present in the governor itself and in the vvalve motion or mechanism whereon the governor operates. In order that the balls or weights of the governor may be effective, because of their inertia or tendency to maintain any given or present state or condition,it is necessary that the balls shall be adapted to another and independent motion in addition to the vertical and rotary movements-usual to devices of this class. At the same time this third movement or play of the balls must be so provided for that it will not interfere with either the vertical movement or rotation of the balls. As a rule the governor-balls are Xed with relation to the governor-spindle, so far as rotation about or around the same is concerned, although the balls may rise and fall in a plane Which includes said spindle. Now by pivoting the ball-arms obliquely upon the spindle said arms retain their capacity for vertical movement; but such vertical movement is not conned to a single plane. Instead the balls may be said to swing back and forth throughl such a plane-th at is, the plane that usually includes the ball-arms and axis of the spindle. The balls, as herein shown, will rise and fall in oblique curves or arcs during their rotation, and the ball-arms being connected y with the slider of the governor will communicate a spiral movement thereto. It is obvious that when the speed of the spindle is decreased the balls, while continuing to rotate with the spindle, will momentarily, at least, move with a greater velocity than the spindle, owing to the fact that the balls are capable of independent rotation part way around the spindle and because of the inertive tendency of the balls to maintain the same speed of movement at any moment. The result is to relatively increase or advance the travel of the balls and add a powerful impulse to the natural drop of the balls to force down the slider of the governor. When, on the other hand, the speed of the governorspindle is increased, it is obvious that the inertia of the balls will 'cause the saine to lag behind the spindle, and this force assists the centrifugal force of the balls to raise the slider and shut down the engine to the desired degree. This inertia of the balls thus properly utilized effectively overcomes the friction of the valves and enables the centrifugal force of the balls to accomplish the desired movementor" the valve mechanism by the vertical movement of the balls.

It would be futile to attempt to utilize the forces of inertia in the manner described if in so doing so much friction was introduced in the governor itself as to render said force of no effect, as exemplified in an old patent to Henson, No. 83,060.

From an inspection of the drawings it will be noted that the ball-arms are in each case arranged at an acute angle with respect to the axes whereon said arms rotate or move with relation to the spindle. I have found that it is necessary to thus arrange the arms to prevent the cramping of the arm pivots or yokes upon the spindle during or when the arms tend to rise and fall under centrifugal force. I have learned that the closer the ball-arms are brought into line with their respective oblique axes just to such an extent is the friction upon or about said axes reduced, yet it is evident that if the arms were made concentric with said axes neither the vertical nor the swinging movement of the ball-arms would be possible. movements and secure the needed reduction of friction, I prefer to arrange each ball-arm at an angle midway between the ball-axis and a perpendicular thereto. A particular advantage of the acute angles is that the balls are brought down to a lower and more useful working range than is possible with the straight or perpendicular arms. I sometimes employ even more acute angles in these parts, for it is obvious that the value of the whole structure depends upon the elimination of friction, and even if the inertia effect ofthe arms should be secured by the oblique axial arrangement of the-arms upon the spindle, but with excessive friction in said pivots, then the inertia effect of the ball-arms would be neutralized by such friction or resistance to the swinging movement of the arms, and the result would be a governor only more complicated and less accurate than the ordinary governor. It is only by virtue of the oblique relations of the ball-arms to the axes thereof, as well as because of the oblique relations of said axes to the spindle, that I am able to secure a practical result from the inertia of said arms. It being proven and granted that the force of inertia may be employed in a governor, I sometimes go further and load the slider of the governor in the manner illustrated in Figs. l and 4. This is a particularly desirable thing to do with high-speed governors that are connected with high-speed engines,where sudden and markedvariations of load and speed are apt to occur. This load T, which is xed to the slider, is preferably a cylindrical enlargement of the slider, somewhat in the nature of a ily-wheel thereon, and whereby the load is evenly dis- To retain these IIO tributed in a circle distant from the axis of the spindle, as is obviously necessary to secure the inertia or fly-wheel effect of said load. When the speed of the spindle slackens suddenly, the loaded slider, as well as the obliquely operative governor-balls, will tend to maintain the speed of the slider and will impart a downward twist thereto and to the ball-arms, said movement being a powerful one, fully equal to the work of altering the valve mechanism to permit an added supply of steam to the engine, and thus maintain the engines speed. A precisely-similar but reverse movement of the slider results from an increase in the speed of the spindle, at which time the loaded slider and the balls have a tendency to retard or hold back the slider in its revoluble relation to the spindle, and this retardation of the slider can only result in an upward twist and rise thereof to cut off the steam-supply to the engine.

The inertia effect of the governor balls or weights, which, as explained, tends to produce movement in the slider, hence in .the valve motion, may be materially enhanced by the employment of the additional differential weights E F'. As shown in Fig. 4, these weights and the lower ones B2 C2, being situated upon the opposite sides of the oblique pivots of the ball-rams, have an inertia effect or force that operates in the same direction as the inertial force of the weights or balls B2 O2, so that the inertia lag and lead of the governor is accentuated thereby; but the principal value of the weights or balls E F' after a determination of their inertia value is due to their operation as dierential or balancing weights, which operate in opposition to the lower balls or weights of the governor, thus tending to limit the speed of the vertical movement thereof. As hereinbefore explained, these differential weights E F may be raised and lowered upon their arms, according to particular requirements. Said weights or balls E F are always arranged nearer the center of the governor than are the ones upon the main ball-arms B C. The differential governor, particularly when provided with a loaded slider, may be of very small dimensions as compared with ordinary governors, the effect of the differential balls when in operation being to oppose any change in the elevation of the balls so long as the speed of the spindle is maintained.- Yet the governor is sensitive to speed changes, and there is sufficient weight in the four balls of the differential governor to cause an almost instant movement of the slider as soon las there is any appreciable difference between the velocity of the balls and the speed of the spindle. Such movement is always initiated n by the inertive operation of said balls or for a small engine speed variation, thus assuring close regulation.

I The principal thought that holds throughout my invention is that a centrifugal governor derives its power primarily from centrifugal force, and it is possible to add thereto only by a negative process, as by reducing frictional resistances and by the employment of the inertia values of the governor parts, as

exemplified by the loaded slider. The idea of the loaded slider may be stated as the establishment of a momentum that is constant and the circle of which is fixed, as distinguished from the varying diameters of the circles of ball action.

It is obvious that the doubly-oblique relation of the balls arms to the governor-spindle and the connections of the ball-arms with the slider in such a manner as to permit said slider to-twist or rotate upon the spindle may be adhered to in various other ways and constructions, and it is also evident that the manner of loading the slider and the manner of mounting the differential balls of the governor may be modified by any one who is skilled in the art, and I therefore do not conne my invention to the specific constructions herein shown and described.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a rotating main spindle provided with fixed inclined pivots, heads journaled on said pivots, differential weightarms obliquely connected with said heads, and slider-actuating links connected with one set of weight-arms, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a rotating main spindle provided with fixed inclined pivots, heads journaled on said pivots, two governor-balls obliquely attached to respective heads and disposed in such horizontal planes that their centrifugal forces are opposed, and slider-actuating links connected with one set of weights, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A governor comprising a spindle, centrifugal ball-arms, a slider and ball-arm connections with said slider, said ball-arms being obliquely pivoted upon said spindle, and also occupying oblique relations to their respective pivots, substantially as described.

4. In a governor, the combination of the governor spindle, with the differentiallyweighted arms obliquely pivoted upon said spindle and occupying angles that are oblique'to their respective pivots, a slider and suitable means connecting said slider and arms, substantially as described.

5. In a governor, the combination of the IOO IIO

governor spindle, with the differentiallyy 6. In a governor, the combination of the governor spindle, with the ball -arms obliquely pivoted With respect to said spindle, and revoluble therewith, said ball-arms occupying angles that are oblique to their respective pivots, a slider and connecting-links, substantially as described.

7. In a governor, the combination of the spindle With the ball-arms obliquely pivoted with relation to said spindle and revoluble therewith, said arms occupying oblique relation to their pivots, a slider, links connecting said slider and said arms, and an inertial load upon said slider, substantially as described.

S. A centrifugal governor comprising a spindle, ball-arms, a slider and connecting- 

